Sealing and alignment device for smokers&#39; pipe stems



March 5, 1963 F. A. FASSBENDER SEALING AND ALIGNMENT DEVICE FOR SMOKERSPIPE STEMS Filed Sept. 13, 1960 V INVENTOR. FREDERICK A. FASSBEN DERUnited States Patent 3,079,931 SEALING AND ALIGNNENT DEVICE'FOR SMOKERSPIPE STEMS Frederick A. Fassbender, West Orange, NJ assignor to S. M.Frank & Co., Inc, New York, N.Y.,a corporation of New York Filed Sept.13, 1960, Ser. No. 55,774 2 Claims. (Cl. ISL-225) This invention relatesto smoking pipes and. more particularly to means by which the bit ofvthe pipeis detachably coupled or attached to the stem or stummel of thepipe in a manner to assure itscorrectly aligned position thereon and toprevent over-turning of the bit when placing the same in position.

An obstacle encountered in pipe. manufacture is caused by the tendencyof the bit to over-turn when it is threadably attached to the stummel,thereby causing the bit to become disaligned.

Attempts have been made to secure the desired result by various means,one of which consisted in placing a loose, slightly compressible washerbetween an extension of the pipe bit and a sleeve fitted into thestummel. A washer so positioned often becomes displaced and lost so thatits efiect as a sealing element and as a means for limiting thethreading of the bit into position becomes destroyed.

It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to provide anovel and improved means by which the bit can be securely yet removablyattached to the stem in a manner to insure correct positioning oralignment of the bit with respect to the stem, and with the employmentof a minimum number of parts and effort.

It is another object of the invention to provide a simple and effectivemeans by which the bit can be easily fitted in position and adjusted inrelation to the pipe stem, and to eliminate over-turn or misalignment ofthe bit.

It is another object of the invention to provide a construction in whicha sealing ring may be so mounted and employed that it will not onlyoperate as an effective sealing element and prevent over-turning of thebit, but it will be so mounted that it will not shift or becomedisplaced upon separation of the bit from the stem.

With these and other objects to 'be hereinafter set forth in view, Ihave devised the arrangement of parts to be described and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a pipe embodying the improvedconstruction;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the sleeve that is fitted within the end of thestem or stummel of the pipe;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the extension member ofthe bit;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the sleeve;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the sleeve;

PEG. 6 is a slightly enlarged view of the portion of the stem extension,showing the O-ring in an unseated position, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through portions ofthe stem or stummel and the bit, showing the improved constructionapplied thereto.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a portion of the tubular or hollowstem or stummel of a pipe of conventional construction, and whichportion of the pipe, integrally or otherwise, projects from the bowl inthe known manner. Tightly fitted within the end of the hollow stem orstummel 1 is a metallic sleeve indicated at 2 The sleeve 2 isusuallyprovided with a roughened outer surface or knurled portion 20 tomaintain it against rotative movement within the stem 1 after it hasbeen fitted therein.

At one end, the sleeve 2isprovided with an external, radially-extendingflange 3 which abuts against the end of the stem or stummel 1 when thesleeve is fitted in the stem. The forward end of the bit'12substantially contacts against this flange when the bit is attached tothe stern. Thesleeve 2 is provided with'a' central passagei internallyformed with a spiral thread 4 for engagement with co-operating externalthread 5 provided on a'metallic bit'exten'sion 6';

The forward end'of-the bit extension is of known form, and includes atapering part 7' terminating in an apertured b all 8at its forward-end.The extension-6' is provided with an axial passage having its forwardoutlet at 10 and through which the smoke is drawn into the passage 11provided in the bit 12.

The rear portion of the bit extension 6 is roughened or knurled as at 13to enable the extension to be securely anchored in the forward end ofthe bit and project therefrom to the extent indicated in FIG. 7.

Provided in the bit extension between the thread 5 thereon and theknurled area 13 is an annular groove 14 acting as a seat for arelatively soft and compressible O-ring 15. Said O-riug is preferably,but not necessarily round in cross section and it is elastically sprunginto place in the groove 14, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6, andit retains its position in the groove by its elasticity. The result isthat the bit extension 6 acts as a carrier for this sealing ring whichremains attached to the bit extension at all times. Thus, when the bitis detached for cleaning, the O-ring remains in position on it, so thatthe possibility of the O-ring becoming displaced and lost is prevented.

The bore or passage 21 in the sleeve 2 is tapered as shown at 16 at itsend adjacent to the flange 3, and this tapered portion 16 serves as aconical seating surface against which the O-ring contacts when the bitis screwed home. The O-ring is so positioned in the groove 14 that asubstantial portion of the ring is projected out of the groove and thisperipheral portion of the ring contacts with and resiliently seatsagainst the conical seating surface 16 as shown in FIG. 7.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of theherein-described bit attachment will be apparent. The O-ring 15, whensprung into seating position in the groove 14 retains its place thereinand it projects out of the groove to an extent to enable it to bearagainst the tapered seat 16 as the bit is screwed home by the engagementof the threads 5 with the internal threads 4 in the sleeve 2. The O-ringis compressed as the bit is threaded home and it acts to resist turningmovement of the bit beyond the extent of rotation required to properlyalign the bit with the stem so that over-turning of the bit isprevented. Also the seating action of the O-ring against the taperedseat 16 is such as to prevent air leakage at this point.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it isobvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broadenough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe having a stem comprising, a sleeve fixedly fitted into one endof the stem against rotation, a bit having a forward extension memberprovided with an external thread, said extension member having anannular groove located within the sleeve, an O-ring of elastic andcompressible nature fitted in and elastically retained by the groove,the sleeve having an axial passage formed 3 with an internal thread andhaving a conical seat at one end adjacent and engageable with saidO-ring, the O-ring being compressible against the conical seat uponthreadable engagement between'the internal threads in the sleeve andtheexternal thread on the bit extension whereby overturning of the bit isprevented and the O-ring will prevent air leakage past their threads andwill be retained on said stern groove.

2. A smoking pipe comprising a pipe stem, a sleeve fixedly fitted intoone end of the stem against rotation,

said sleeve being provided on its interior with a spiral threadextending from a forward portion of its length, the rear portion of theinterior of said sleeve being substantially conical from said thread, abit having a for- Ward extension member provided with an external threadfor engagement with the thread Within the sleeve, said extension memberhaving an annular groove located rearwardly of its external thread andfor positioning within the conical portion of the sleeve, an O-ring ofan elastic and compressible nature fitted in and elastically,retainingitself in the groove, the O-ring being compressihle againstthe conical interior of the sleeve when the bit extension is movedforwardly through the sleeve by the threaded engagement between itsthreads and the threads in the sleeve, upon r'otative movement of thebit relative to the stem whereby overturning of the bit is prevented andthe O-ring will prevent air leakage past their threads and will beretained on said stem groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

2. A SMOKING PIPE COMPRISING, A PIPE STEM, A SLEEVE FIXEDLY FITTED INTOONE END OF THE STEM AGAINST ROTATION, SAID SLEEVE BEING PROVIDED ON ITSINTERIOR WITH A SPIRAL THREAD EXTENDING FROM A FORWARD PORTION OF ITSLENGTH, THE REAR PORTION OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID SLEEVE BEINGSUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL FROM SAID THREAD, A BIT HAVING A FORWARD EXTENSIONMEMBER PROVIDED WITH AN EXTERNAL THREAD FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE THREADWITHIN THE SLEEVE, SAID EXTENSION MEMBER HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVELOCATED REARWARDLY OF ITS EXTERNAL THREAD AND FOR POSITIONING WITHIN THECONICAL PORTION OF THE SLEEVE, AN O-RING OF AN ELASTIC AND COMPRESSIBLENATURE FITTED IN AND ELASTICALLY RETAINING ITSELF IN THE GROOVE, THEO-RING BEING COMPRESSIBLE AGAINST THE CONICAL INTERIOR OF THE SLEEVEWHEN THE BIT EXTENSION IS MOVED FORWARDLY THROUGH THE SLEEVE BY THETHREADED ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN ITS THREADS AND THE THREADS IN THE SLEEVE,UPON ROTATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE BIT RELATIVE TO THE STEM WHEREBYOVERTURNING OF THE BIT IS PREVENTED AND THE O-RING WILL PREVENT AIRLEAKAGE PAST THEIR THREADS AND WILL BE RETAINED ON SAID STEM GROOVE.